TRP Prem needs to reduce high impact training says Lamb
ENGLISH obsession with ball-carrying and contact, both in matches and in training, is a major contributory factor behind the glut of early season injuries, according to La Rochelle fly-half Ryan Lamb.
Lamb, a long time critic of the often grinding nature of the Premiership, believes top English clubs should copy their French counterparts by concentrating more on skills and far less on collision work.
Former Worcester ace Lamb, who is due to face Harlequins with his new side this Saturday, said: “You have injuries in France, but there are a lot more in the Premiership and that needs addressing.
“There’s a lot of ball-carrying in England, with one pass hit-ups and the ruck being contested a lot harder. The tackles are more physical and there’s a much heavier load for players, particularly in training.
“There’s not much contact training in France, whereas on Tuesdays back home, at pretty much every club I’ve been at, it’s a tough day with a lot of contact and double sessions.
“If I was a prop and I’d just been through a ‘car crash’ the previous weekend, I wouldn’t want to be doing that two or three days later. To have brutal days on Tuesdays, then another big session on a Wednesday, is hard on the boys.”
Lamb, whose experience also includes spells at Gloucester, London Irish, Northampton and Leicester, added: “I can’t remember practising an offload drill in my last two or three years in England, but here it’s pretty much the first thing we do each day at training; offload out of contact, support lines, second touches.
“You change your whole mindset within two weeks of being here.
“They do a lot of passing, kicking and decisionmaking drills in England and it’s all about keeping the ball and putting pressure on teams in their own 22; here in France that’s not really talked about – they just want to play.
“If you make a break people try to make offloads and use their support players to get in behind, and if it doesn’t come off they don’t come away from that. In England if you make a mistake everything tightens up. That most likely explains the injuries.”
Lamb, 31, admits he should have moved to France earlier and believes more English players must consider the Top 14.
He explained: “I had offers earlier in my career but was hoping to play for England at the time, so it’s difficult for younger players. But if you’re in limbo, I’d definitely recommend players in that mid-20s group to broaden their experience.
“It’s a hard decision if you’ve got international ambitions, but I genuinely think it improves you as a player going into different environments and working under different coaches.
“James Haskell was a prime example of someone who went away to play in France, New Zealand and Japan and improved massively in a short time. Nick Abendanon’s another who wasn’t appreciated by England but has come here and thrived.
“I’m only four months here but it’s improving me and, at 31, I feel I’ve still got good years ahead because there are different skill-sets involved. I was getting very stale in England but playing against new teams has brought my hunger back.”